Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for aiding in bathing, and more particularly, a rubbing and scrubbing brush for dual use.
Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for brushes have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 1,540,326, Published/Issued on Jun. 2, 1925, to Glowa teaches improvements in brushes and more particularly to such types as are used for sweeping and like purposes in which a handle disposed at an angle is used.
A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 1,954,940, Published/Issued on Apr. 17, 1934, to Mikel teaches washing and massaging devices for use in bath tubs and has for one of its objects to provide such a device with means whereby it can be ‘detachably and adjust’ ably attached to any portion of the inside surface of the bath tub.
A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 2,414,321, Published/Issued on Jan. 14, 1947, to Miller teaches a bath-brush having a handle means and a head mounted on the handle means for universal movement, so that the position of the head automatically changes to conform to the body of the bather. The bath brushes in general useembody fixed heads and when such a conventional brush is employed to wash the bathers back the brush head does not conform to the body but only its edge portions come into use. In the brush of the present invention the head has a universal mounting and automatically moves into full, effective engagement with the body of the bather.
A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 2,501,426, Published/Issued on Mar. 21, 1950, to Voorhees teaches a scrubbing brush wherein the Water is conducted from a source of pressure through a flexible hose to a hollow handle and thence through the hollow handle and brush to the place where the water is required.
A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,221, Published/Issued on Jan. 22, 1980, to Edwards teaches a bath brush having an elongated, continuously curved element terminating in a handle at one end portion and in a brush arrangement at the other end portion thereof. The element is curved continuously at a rate of curvature comparable to a clothes hanger. The brush arrangement includes an enlarged head forming a substantially planar surface from which project codirectionally a plurality of bristles, with the brush arrangement further including a pair of clips disposed on either side of the bristles for removably holding a face cloth, and the like, on the enlarged head of the element so as to cover the bristles in order to facilitate bathing with the brush.
A SIXTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,623, Published/Issued on Aug. 11, 1981, to Gacuzana teaches a scrubber head has a handle with connections for parallel hoses to an adaptor which is interposed between a shower supply line and a shower head. A first valve in the scrubber head prevents water flow to the scrubber head or to the shower head. A second valve selectively flows water to a channel to turn a power disc. A parallel connected scrubber disc has a surface cover with microhook or loop-type fasteners to hold complementary fasteners on an annular scrubber pad. An annular sponge is mounted on a ring on the head outward of the scrubber pad for preventing splashes. The second valve may direct water through the channel and a spray head mounted centrally in the discs or back to the shower head.
A SEVENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,272, Published/Issued on Jun. 29, 1993, to Park teaches plural through-holes are placed at a certain interval spacing on and along the grip of a brush to avoid slipping. Brush teeth and hard materials are implanted in a brush teeth implantation portion of the brush to facilitate the circulation of blood. The base and gripping portion of a rolling brush are connected by latches in opposite directions, and rotating directions can be selected at will. A passage is set along the center axis of the base of the brush, and plural connecting holes are arranged in the passage, reaching through to an outside round surface of the brush base. Implantation density of the brush teeth in the brush teeth implantation portion is not uniform.
AN EIGHTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,389, Published/Issued on Jan. 11, 1994, to Ballares, et al. teaches a back scrubber to be used in the shower includes a holder which is ordinarily adhered to the shower wall by suction cups and which has a releasable and reversible sponge thereon which can be quickly replaced or used without removing the holder from the wall.
A NINTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,537,709, Published/Issued on Jul. 23, 1996, to Taragos teaches a back scrubber device comprises an elongate belt formed of flexible material and having a soap impregnated pad detachably mounted thereon. In the preferred embodiment, the belt is molded to form a plurality recesses for receiving mounting members thereon. The recesses have dove-tailed grooves and the mounting members have beveled edges to define a tongue and groove arrangement. The mounting members have penetrating elements which provide means for mounting the pad on the belt.
A TENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,784,722, Published/Issued on Jul. 28, 1998, to Ureta, et al. teaches a back scrubber for removable installation in a shower, a preferred embodiment of which includes a housing having a rear wall and a plurality of side wall segments peripherally of the rear wall, each of the side wall segments having an inwardly disposed lip therealong. A sponge is releasably held by the housing and has a thickness greater than the depth of the side wall segments for being retained along the sponge's thickness by the lips along the side wall segments.
AN ELEVENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,221,034, Published/Issued on Apr. 24, 2001, to Chaplin teaches a back scratcher including an elongated slender stem having a handle disposed at a first end thereof and a scratching head disposed at a second end of said stem. The stem includes a substantially arcuate form, the handle and the scratching head being oriented at an obtuse angle one to another thereby. The scratching head has bristles extending laterally therefrom. The handle has an elongated handle portion extending in either direction from the first end and a plane defined by said stem whereby, when the handle is grasped with one hand portion placed against the palm of the user and a finger is positioned along the other handle portion and the stem is placed over the shoulder or around the waist, the bristles are aligned to engage the back of the user. The stem is preferably further defined by a substantially uniform radius in a side view thereof and planar in a front view thereof. An enlargement at a distal end of each said handle portion for enhanced gripping of said handle and manipulation of said scratching head is also provided.
It is apparent now that numerous innovations for scrubbers and for back-cleaning or scratching devices have been provided in the prior art that adequate for various purposes. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, accordingly, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.